


To Be The Victim

by stupidlilartist



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Hurt Spencer Reid, Kidnapped Spencer Reid, Torture, Trigger Warnings, Violence, father rossi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27507703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stupidlilartist/pseuds/stupidlilartist
Summary: When Spencer Reid is kidnapped, his team must work around the clock to find him and bring him home. They only have seven days to do so. The fate of the youngest member's life is in their hands and they aren't sure if he'll be found alive. Even if he is found alive, how will he move past such a traumatic experience?
Relationships: Spencer Reid & The BAU Team
Comments: 32
Kudos: 115





	1. A Bad Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> make sure to read the trigger warnings!

Six in the morning, Derek Morgan clocked into work. He poured himself a cup of coffee in his favorite mug, as per usual, before going to Garcia to converse before they had to begin their paperwork.

He followed his usual morning schedule until he got a gut feeling that something was wrong. He felt it in his bones, sending a shiver down his spine. He sat at his desk, accompanied by Prentiss who tapped the end of a pen against her face. She noticed his dark eyes - they were lost in thought.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

He turned to her, taking a moment to gather his words.

"I'm not sure. The kid should be here right now, but he's not. He's rarely ever late." Derek shrugged, "It's just unusual."

David Rossi overheard his words and approached the two.

"I called him." He stated. Both Prentiss and Morgan noticed his eyes were worried. "His phone went straight to voicemail."

"This is awfully fishy," Prentiss furrowed a brow. "Maybe one of us should check his apartment."

"I'll go. You two have a lot more paperwork to catch up on than I do." Rossi shot them a grin, though it quickly faded into a frown.

"Let us know when you get there," Morgan ordered and Rossi nodded.

He shot Hotch a text that he was checking up on Reid, and the unit chief thankfully understood with no further questions. Rossi tried to drown his worry out by listening to old hits on the radio, but it simply wouldn't work. 

He arrived at Reid's apartment complex shortly, climbing the stairs nervously and finally reaching his home. His hands shook as slowly raised one to knock on the door but noticed it had been forced open already. His heart sank to his stomach, he knew that wasn't a good sign. He reached for his belt, drawing his gun and cautiously holding it straight out as he creaked the door open.

He immediately noticed signs of struggle. The bookcase had been toppled over and a plate was shattered on the floor. Shuffling further into the apartment, he found a pool of fresh blood that had seeped into the carpet. There was no sign of anybody nor Reid. Rossi needed to collect himself, his breathing was far too hitched for anybody to understand his words. He closed his eyes, reassuring himself that he would find Reid.

Then, he called Morgan's cell-phone.

"How's the kid?" He asked.

Rossi sharply sighed, "He's not here."

There was a moment of silence between them.

"Rossi. Tell me what you see."

"Signs of a struggle, forced entry. Blood." He paused, listening to Morgan's curse under his breath. "Get the team ready. We've got a case on our hands."

Arriving back at the BAU, Rossi finds his team in the conference room. Garcia had visibly just got done weeping and JJ was on the verge of tears. Everybody else was distraught but tried to keep a level head in order to find their Spencer Reid. Hopefully, the officers and detectives who were investigating the crime scene could find something.

"Garcia has searched for any recent kidnappings involving scenarios like Reid's. She found a missing girl, but the man responsible was arrested." Hotch announced.

"That suggests this may be something personal," Rossi concluded, placing comforting hands on Garcia and JJ's shoulders.

Hotch paced around the room as he spoke, "Has Reid mentioned to anybody about somebody he disliked or somebody that disliked him? Anybody with a grudge towards him. Any information will be useful." 

"No," JJ immediately shook her head. "Nobody has any reason to hate Spence. He's never mentioned to me about someone like that."

Hotch glanced around the room, but he got no answers. They were left with basically nothing. No leads, no DNA, no Spencer Reid. They had only their willingness to hope.

——————

Spencer's eyes fluttered open and he realized he was in complete darkness. For a second, he questioned whether or not he was dead. That is until he noticed cold restraints pushing against his bare hands and feet. Panic and instinct took over his body, and he began straining his muscles in any hopes of getting himself free. After a few minutes, he gave up, letting his tired body fall limply against the wall he was attracted to. 

Tears pricked his eyes as a million thoughts raced through his head. He was surely going to die. How he was going to die - he was unsure of, but he knew, one way or another, he wasn't going to survive whatever plans this person had waiting for him.

He heard echoing footsteps and instantly become alert, apprehensive eyes darting rapidly around the room. A menacing chuckle sounded around the room and only caused Spencer's heart to beat faster. His breaths were broken and quick. He was unsure of what to expect.

Then, a light turned on and he saw just what he was in for. The walls and floor were splattered with dried blood. Bones, big and small, were held in a pile in the corner. The mutilated body of a missing child that had gone missing five days ago sat at the bottom of the stairs. The seemingly most terrifying sight of them all was the bucket of harvested organs perched in the middle of the cold floor.

Spencer closed his eyes. Panic was what that man wanted and he couldn't let himself hyperventilate. A dry, fat finger touched his face and he flinched. The finger was dragged across his face, following his jawline, down his shirt. It reached the waistband of his pants and —

"What do you want?" Reid snapped, finally bringing himself to look at the man.

He was a white man, appearing early thirties. He wore a black outfit and a white, blood-splattered apron on top of his clothes. His eyes were different colors - one brown and one green. His thin lips were pulled into an evil smile.

The man's finger had stopped moving and he let out another bone-chilling laugh.

"What I want is to harvest your organs." His voice was pitchy.

Reid couldn't bear to look him in the face any longer, staring in horror at the floor. His words made him nauseous. His stomach twisted and tears rolled down his face. He chewed on his lip to prevent himself from sobbing, yet a few whimpers escaped his mouth.

"Don't cry, my darling, I'm not harvesting them yet. First, we're going to play a game!" He paused, angry when Reid didn't reply. "What's your name?"

"Spencer." He whispered. He brought himself to speak louder, though he still wouldn't look the man in the eye. "What's your name?"

"Otis. You're part of the BAU, aren't you." He held up Reid's FBI badge, "I found this in your pocket. I left your friends at the BAU a little letter."

Reid's lip trembled as more tears fell. He had no plan on how to escape. He wasn't even able to persuade the man to let him go because he hadn't a clue who he was or what he's been through. With one swift move, Otis ripped off his shirt. Reid flinched and shivered as the cold air hit his bare skin.

"Don't cry, Spencer," Otis said to him as if he was a puppy or a child. He wiped his tears off his face, "We're going to have some fun."

His footsteps traveled back into the room and Reid had no intention of seeing where he was going. His labored breathing became heavier when he approached him once again, holding a knife. Spencer caught a glimpse of the blade before quickly looking away, sinking back against the board he was attached to but he was unable to escape the blade's presence on his skin. Seven lines were cut into his stomach, not too deep, but enough to draw blood. It didn't hurt as bad as Reid was expecting, but it did cause a few groans to leave his lips and fresh tears to form in his eyes.

Warm blood ran down his torso and absorbed into the waistband of his pants. Reid took a sharp breath, before attempting to get some piece of information from the man.

"Why are you doing this?" He breathlessly asked.

"I want to make your last moments memorable before harvesting your organs, Spencer."

He hung his head, focusing only on his breathing and trying to forget about the pain. Otis wandered off once again. He returned with four, wide nails. Spencer's eyes widened, shaking his head and muttering pleads under his breath. Otis grabbed a hammer off the wall and positioned the nail against the palm of his hands.

"No, no, no!" Reid screamed. Otis put the nail back down to his side, arching a brow. "If you do that, I won't be able to live to see you harvest my organs! That's what you want, isn't it?"

Otis positioned the nail just beside his bare abdomen and onto the wooden board before him. He hammered it carefully, so the edge of the head of the nail dug into his skin and drew blood. He moved to the other side of his body, repeating the same action. Reid watched in horror as he did so, biting hard down on his lip.

The man pulled his pants to his ankle, before using his knife to cut them off completely. He proceeded to hammer nails into the board just so the head of the nails dug into his knees. He left once again. Reid tried struggling against the restraints once again, but it only causes his wrists to bleed.

Otis returned with wires, connected to an electrical box. Spencer's pupil shrunk as his body tensed. He knew what was coming. 

"Otis, please don't." He muttered, shaking his head. 

He only laughed, wrapping the wires around the nails. Reid squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth. He heard the fading footsteps stop suddenly. Then, the lever of the electrical box was pulled down, sending electricity coursing through his body. His bladder emptied itself and his limbs shook overwhelmingly. His eyes widened and the smell of burning flesh caused him to puke all over himself. The electricity was turned off and his consciousness was faded away.


	2. Suffering

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fair warning, this chapter is... well, in a word: gruesome.

"We found this in the corner of the room." A detective revealed to the team a small slip of paper. On it, '7 days' were written on it.

"He's telling us we have seven days to find him." Hotch clarified, lips pursing into a straight line.

"We also have fingerprints that are being analyzed." The detective added.

Rossi shook his head, "We may not even have that amount of time."

Angry, Morgan quickly got up from his chair, rushing into the hallway. He put his back against the wall, letting himself slide to the cold floor tiles. A hand was brought to the bridge of his nose and he sharply pinched it. He balled his fist out of rage, tears pricking his eyes. He wasn't even sure if he was stable enough mentally to help find the kid! He wasn't nearly this angry with Tobias Hankle. Knowing the time limit in which he had to find him was agonizingly painful. It caused his stomach to twist and his thoughts to go to unwanted places.

Heels clicking the floor grabbed his attention and he looked up to find Emily. She smoothed out her black pantsuit before joining him on the floor. She brought her knees to her chest. They sat in silence together for a few moments, the only sound being their soft breathing.

"We're going to find him, you know." She assured, her gaze straight ahead instead of on him.

"I hope so." Morgan blinked back tears, staring at his lap. He took a deep breath, "I can't imagine the pain he's in right now."

Emily finally turned to him, slipping her hand comfortingly into her friend's. Her eyes were laced with worry, but also had a spark of hope. Her expression was stern as she spoke.

"Reid is strong. He's overcome so many obstacles, Morgan. He's a fighter." She paused before repeating her initial statement, much more seriousness in her voice than before, "We are going to find him."

"I'm going to bury this guy alive." His brows furrowed, an isolated tear rolling down his face.

He wiped it away, removing his hand from Emily's grasp. Then, he left, disappearing down the hallway and into the break room. Prentiss sighed. She agreed with her words that they would find him. Though, she wasn't going to promise him that they were going to find him alive. The thought of finding Reid's corpse formed a lump in her throat. She couldn't stop herself from crying, alone, and on the floor. 'You have to pull yourself together,' she repeatedly thought, yet she couldn't find the strength to.

Hotch and Rossi were the only two remained in the room. As for the rest of the team, they had left immediately after the detectives stated what they had found. They each recognized how every member had an overwhelming urge to find this guy and kill him, but they were too thrown off to even think straight. 

"The team is falling apart." Hotch said, breaking the uncomfortable silence between the two. He stared at his shined shoes, for he didn't want Rossi to notice just how upset he was.

"If you remove one of us, none of us function properly." Rossi sighed. "We've got to find him, Hotch. Alive."

Hotch nodded in agreement, "I know. I know."

Dave opened his mouth to say something, but JJ bursting frantically into the room interrupted him. Tears streamed down her face and her blue eyes were red and puffy. She was seemingly the most distraught out of them all, even Garcia. Her hair was a mess, she was constantly crying. She wasn't able to focus for any amount of time, causing her to think she was useless.

Rossi raised a confused brow, "JJ?" 

The young woman had to take a recollecting breath before informing them the news, "We've been sent something." Her voice was unsteady.

Hotch and Rossi exchanged glances before following JJ to Garcia's office. The rest of the team had gathered closely around her. Penelope's heavy sobs and sniffles could be heard. The older men squeezed between their co-workers, horrified at what they had found. 

Before them was a photograph of Reid. He had been stripped to his underwear and restrained onto a wooden board. Blood covered nearly every inch of his torso and they could point out every cut that had been made. What seemed like dry vomit lay all over his chin and chest. Perhaps the most horrifying thing about this image is that he had nails hammered beside him, so they barely touched his skin, with electric wires tied onto them. He had clearly been electrocuted. His hair was messy and tousled and tear tracks stained his pale face. His head hung limply, and the only evidence they could find that he was alive was the presence of color in his skin. The photo was captioned 'six days left'.

"That son of a bitch is messing with us!" Morgan balled his fists once again, nails digging into his palms. He would surely punch a hole into whatever was in front of him if they weren't in Garcia's office.

"Look at what they did in one day!" JJ's voice broke, covering her tearful eyes with her hands. She couldn't dare to look any longer.

"He's giving us more information than we started with, though." Hotch examined the photo more closely before demanding, "Garcia, see if you can find an I.P address linked to this picture."

Garcia nodded, typing away many codes on her keyboard. Her eyes darted around one the screen before sadly concluding, "He's changing the I.P address every ten seconds, sir. I can't even pinpoint an exact state." This upset her and her lip quivered before fresh tears rolled down her face. 

———————-

His honey brown eyes fluttered open, only slightly. Just enough so he could remind himself where he was. Pain seared through his entire body. He swore he could still feel jolts of electricity, but convinced himself it was only in his head. His skin felt raw and uncomfortable. He clenched his teeth, tilting his head down so he could examine his wounds. He would surely die of infection.

He heard a door open and looked up to find Otis. The old man walked towards him, a water bottle in his hand, and a smile spread across his face. Reid winced.

"I brought you some water, my darling." Otis said, screwing off the cap and holding it to his lips.

Spencer couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary, but that didn't mean he wasn't being drugged. Still, he couldn't resist taking a sip. The water felt good against his dry throat and he closed his eyes, desperately trying to consume as much water as possible. He sighed as it was pulled away from him, licking his top lip.

"Thank you." He muttered beneath his panting breaths.

He was surprised to see at least some sort of remorse with this man. Or, perhaps it was not remorse and it was only his way of keeping him alive. Alive - long enough so he could watch him pull his organs from his body. He felt nauseous at the thought. He only hoped he would die long before then.

"Thank you for saying thank you," Otis quipped, placing the water bottle on the floor in front of him. It was like he was teasing him.

Spencer stared at the bloody floor, trying to process what he was going through. It was something he couldn't even imagine happening to him. All the nightmares about Tobias Hankle could never amount to this level of torture. Reid wasn't quite sure how long he's been gone, but he knew it wasn't long. The amount of physical trauma he was suffering from already was enough to kill somebody had the volts of electricity been higher. Otis knew what he was doing, though. He wanted him alive long enough to see him do his dirty work. His gaze found Otis' once again, and he was angry. Bushy brows were furrowed and he grimaced.

"Do you know how rude it was to fall asleep while we were playing a game?" He snapped, walking closer to Reid.

Spencer only hung his head. He was far too exhausted.

"Not to mention relieving yourself on my property! That's disgusting!"

Reid picked up his head, closing his eyes, "I couldn't help it, you electrocuted me." He whispered weakly.

A dry fist connected with his face. A fresh bruise immediately formed just above his cheekbone. 

"I'm sorry," It was more of a plead for him to stop.

But Otis didn't stop. His fists roughly left bruises all over his face and abdomen. Reid felt as if he couldn't breathe, he didn't have enough time to even recover from the last blow before another sharp one was inflicted. He could tell he had a broken rib, at least one. When the hitting stopped, he sighed in relief. His lip was swollen and bloody and his eye was surrounded by a purple bruise. Along with the blood and cuts, his torso was now covered in deep bruises and marks. 

Otis wasn't done, however. He reached into an ice bucket and pulled out a dissevered heart. Spencer's eyes widened at the sight, struggling in the restraints. A chuckle echoed through the room as Otis brought the organ to Reid's face. He kept his lips shut and screamed as the blood of someone else was rubbed all over his face. It was cold, not to mention disgusting. The man tossed it back in the bucket and left. 

Spencer thought about what had just happened before he threw up once again. He sobbed. It was at that moment when he realized just how alone he was. Nobody was going to come for him. He was going to die, alone and scared. Never to see his mother or friends ever again. He was going to suffer till his very last breath.


	3. Forty-Four Hours

"I'm searching for cases similar to Reid's once again, looking for ones in which the family was sent photos of the victim or a countdown," Garcia announced, her fingers pressing what seemed like a million keys at once.

"Good thinking, Garcia," Hotch said before leaving her office.

He clearly wasn't thinking straight. His mind was supposed to be focused on the task at hand but he could only think about Reid in the picture that they were sent. One day. All it took was one day for such torture to be inflicted on his body. Trying to imagine the amount of pain the kid was going through made him sick.

"Have we received new information?" He asked Rossi, who shook his head.

"Although, Strauss wants to speak to you." The Italian informed before heading into Garcia's workspace.

The unit chief sighed, gathering his thoughts before heading to his boss' office. She was reading through a stack of papers, her index finger, and thumb holding her reading glasses in place as she did so. Hotch took a seat in front of her, waiting for him to address him. Though, after a few moments of silence, he grew impatient.

"You wanted to see me." He cleared his throat.

Strauss put her paper down, as well as her glasses. She eyed the man, almost intimidatingly. She folded her hands against her desk before speaking.

"I would like to discuss the team's ability to solve this case." 

Hotch furrowed a brow. 

She continued her statement, "I don't think this team is in the right frame of mind to help find Agent Reid."

"What makes you say that?" 

"Well, for starters, I've seen Agent Jareau and Agent Morgan storm off in an angry passion or cry alone in the halls multiple times. None of you are thinking clearly, and I understand that it's because Agent Reid is your close friend. You're letting your worry get the best of you and I'm afraid that is going to be what kills Agent Reid." 

"Within the last forty hours, the state police and detectives have come up with just as little as we have!" Hotch angrily protested, "The same fingerprints that will take too long to be processed and no witnesses nor cameras! My team will not rest until we find Reid, and that is a promise!" 

Strauss ignored his angry outburst completely, "Unfortunately, I'm under the impression that this case should be transferred to another unit." 

"Forty-four more hours, please. We were given seven days to find him and if we don't find him in half that time, this team will drop the case." The unit chief begged.

After a moment's contemplation, the woman nodded, "Fine. But if I notice any more emotional outbursts or wasted time, I will immediately send this case elsewhere."

"Thank you, I assure you we can do it."

"You're dismissed."

He met Morgan in the halls, pacing back and forth.

"Bad news?" He asked after noticing he had left Strauss' office.

"She's giving us forty-four more hours," Hotch replied dryly.

"What?" Morgan exclaimed, raising his brows in surprise. "That's not enough time, we haven't even had a single lead yet!"

"Right, that's why we've got to clear our minds and work more sufficiently."

"I've got something!" They heard Garcia squeal.

The men burst into her office, seeing her hands wave around in excitement. JJ and Prentiss joined them quickly, frantic to hear the news.

"A man by the name of Ashton Jordan was shot and killed by police five days ago. They found him guilty for the kidnaps, rapes, and murders of several people of both genders," She cringed. "They were found without any organs. He sent their families pictures of the victims with countdowns carved into the photographs. His last victim's body was never found."

"He has a partner," Rossi muttered.

"Do the photos have a mailing address?" JJ asked.

Garcia shook her head, "They were seemingly hand-delivered."

"I want some background on him. Do a deep search and try and find any messages, emails, or phone calls- anything that will lead us to the partner." Hotch ordered.

"On it." Garcia nodded, beginning to type away once again.

However, a sudden pop-up stopped her search and her eyes widened at what appeared on the screen.

"What? It hasn't been twenty-four hours since the last photo." Prentiss pointed out, trying to avoid her sickness as she examined the picture.

The first thing they noticed was his hazel brown eyes staring directly into the camera. They were glossed with tears and surrounded by bruises. By his eyes alone, they could tell he was scared and apprehensive. He seemed to have been beaten a lot more since the last photo. His bottom lip was busted open, dried blood coating it. Yellow bruises presented themselves all over his face and half of the white in his left eye was crimson. Blood smeared all over his skin. He appeared completely and utterly miserable. The photo was captioned, 'Five days.'

JJ pressed her hand tightly against her lips, the others searching to find Garcia's. Rossi put a comforting hand on both of the girls' shoulders as Morgan stormed out, mumbling that he was going to kill the son of a bitch responsible.

————————

Spencer had never felt so mentally and physically tired in his life. He had given up struggling and any hope of ever escaping the torture alive. He was now stripped naked, bruises covering his entire body from head to toe. The board he was strapped to was now laying horizontally so he no longer hung from his wrists, but rest on his back. He could feel the aftermath of sexual abuse, but he hadn't been conscious to experience it. He wasn't sure how to process that.

Pain irradiated his body, from his toes to his head. His wounds felt raw and whenever he closed his eyes while conscious, he could feel the volts of electricity coursing through his veins. He clenched his eyes and teeth in hopes of getting his mind anywhere but the pain, but it was useless. He felt dirty, disgusting, and helpless. He only hoped Otis would return and shoot him execution-style. No more suffering, no more pain.

The door swung open and Otis kicked it shut. He approached the boy, wearing oven mittens and holding a boiling hot pot of water. He set it down on the floor, grabbing a pair of tongs. Then, he pulled out a stone. It's usual gray color was nowhere to be found, it was completely red and scorching hot.

Reid's widened eyes followed him as he shuffled towards him with a smile, eyeing the stone once in a while. He attempted to prepare himself for the pain, but no amount of preparation could ever help get rid of this level of agony. The stone was placed in the middle of his chest. A blood-curdling cry left his lips. He threw his head back against the board and screamed so intensely, his throat burned and his screams cracked. He could feel his skin break and bubble, and before he could throw up the nothingness in his stomach, he lost his consciousness. 

Otis huffed, taking the stone off and putting it back in the boiling water. His skin had melted away, leaving a third-degree burn in the shape of a perfect circle. He slapped his hand across Reid's cheeks until his eyes shot open once again.

"Stop! Please!" He cried, his voice strained. "Get away from me! Leave me alone!"

Otis only chuckled, taking another stone from the water and placing it on his inner thigh. Another scream ripped from Spencer's mouth and he tried to shake the scorching hot material off of his body. Otis groaned.

"Stop being a baby." The man growled, taking the stone off.

His skin was burnt and broken, but it wasn't nearly enough damage he was hoping to accomplish. 

"Stop," Reid rasped, tears falling off of his bruised and bloody cheeks. "Please."

He could barely keep his tearful eyes open, black spots blurring his vision. Then, he went unconscious once again. The pain was too unbearable for his body.

When he woke up, he was alone. Blisters coated his burns uncomfortably and his skin still felt excruciatingly hot. He threw his head back against the board, shutting his eyes and crying. He wanted to see his mother and tell her how much he loved her. Perhaps Garcia will use the pre-recorded message he made for her when he was poisoned with anthrax. He hoped so. He couldn't die and leave his mother alone without a proper goodbye. Whimpers echoed through the room.

"I love you, mom." He whispered.


	4. Cold

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> beware.

The team gathered around Garcia's chair, watching as she typed away. Prentiss had JJ in her arms, letting the younger woman sob into her shoulder as she rubbed comforting circles on her back. Eventually, JJ collected herself and was able to watch Garcia work her magic. Morgan eventually walked back into the room after he had calmed down. He couldn't help but worry, though. Anger and rage built up inside of him and this unsub would be damned if he were to come face to face with him.

"Okay, Ashton Jordan was a mechanic in town. His parents both died in a plane crash ten years ago. He has a brother and a" Garcia paused, examining the information before her, "A dead sister. She died after organ failure."

Prentiss remembered the fact that he had gutted his victims. She cringed. If Reid were in the hands of his partner, she couldn't imagine the type of damage he was doing to him. 

"Let's start with the brother," Rossi suggested.

Garcia searched up his name, Otis Jordan. The first thing that popped up for him was a mug shot. She looked into his files, gathering information.

"This man has a not-so-pretty criminal history. He was put into a juvenile hall after stabbing one of his classmates with a pencil. He was released when he was fifteen, only to choke out a woman on the street with his bare hands. He was released once again when he was eighteen and then put back into prison for aggravated assault and rape. He was released four weeks ago when the murders and kidnappings of Ashton Jordan began."

"That's him," Hotch concluded. "He has Reid."

Garcia brought up two squares full of information on the screen, "Here's his work and home address."

"Rossi, take Prentiss and JJ with you to his home. Let the PD know and meet them there, he may be holding Reid at his house. Morgan and I will go to his workplace to see if we can find anything there incase Reid isn't found at his house. We need to act quickly, we only have forty-two hours left to find him before Strauss moves his case to another unit, understand?" Hotch stated. His team nodded before fleeing to their assigned tasks.

Morgan and Hotch climbed into his SUV. Hotch wasted no time, pulling out onto the road and rushing to the building that he worked at. Morgan's fists clenched tightly and he kept his vengeful eyes focused only on the road.

"You need to calm down before we get there. We don't want his co-workers getting mad at you and holding back on any information." Aaron urged.

Derek nodded, though he remained silent. He couldn't stop thinking about the fact that he could be gutting the kid right now. He's been on the job far too long to believe the countdown was accurate. Spencer could be dead right now and none of them would know until they found his lifeless, damaged corpse. It brought a lump to his throat, but he fought back the tears.

Meanwhile, Rossi, JJ, and Prentiss arrived at his home. A few cops joined them as well. Prentiss kicked down the door, gun drawn, "FBI!" She yelled.

She slowly led the group into the house, cautious of their surroundings. They split up throughout the house, shouting "Clear!" in each room. JJ sighed, putting a hand against her head as it pulsated painfully with frustration. Tears welled up in her eyes once again and she squeezed them shut. Reid was nowhere to be found.

"JJ, we're going to get him, alright?" Prentiss reassured, rushing to her side. "We're so close to finding him."

Rossi opened the empty refrigerator and furrowed a brow, "He hasn't been home in a while. He must have Reid somewhere else. The answer might be in this house."

The older man began sorting through cabinets, looking in junk drawers, and looking through every piece of paper he could find. Prentiss called Hotch to inform them of the news and she and JJ joined Rossi in the hunt for the location.

Hotch and Morgan arrived at his workplace. They revealed their badges to the workers inside. 

"We'd like to ask a few questions," Hotch announced.

The manager stepped forward, his nervous hands stuffed in his pockets.

"When's the last time you saw Otis Jordan?" Morgan asked.

The manager shrugged, "He hasn't come to work in a while. We're thinking about firing him, but he's been with us so long. I just hope he's okay."

In the end, Morgan and Hotch didn't get much from his co-workers, except that he hadn't been to work in a few days and the timeline matched up to Reid's disappearance. They were sure Otis Jordan was the man responsible.

"Garcia, check to see if there's a building under the Jordan family's name," Hotch called, but Garcia didn't reply.

She stayed silent, her tearful eyes fixated on the new photo she was just sent. A closeup picture of the brutal burn on Spencer's chest. It had a different caption, too. 'Hurry up'.

"Garcia?" Hotch repeated.

"Sir," She was able to choke out. She harshly swallowed, "We were just sent something."

_____________________

Spencer was sure he was only hours away from dying. Sweat beads collected on his bloody forehead and he could feel himself burning up. He concluded that he had developed an infection. On which wound? He couldn't tell. All of them were throbbing and painful, some worse than others but it didn't take away the fact that his entire body was engulfed in agony. Dried tear tracks stained his face and his soft breathing echoed throughout the room.

The sexual assault was inflicted once again, and this time he was conscious. He wished he hadn't been. He couldn't get the image out of his head.

He began to wonder just how he would die. Perhaps the infection would kill him soon. Maybe the electrocution would finally catch up to him and fry him from the inside out. Maybe the burn on his chest would melt his heart slowly until he died. It was a long shot, but he even added blood loss to the list of ways he would die. 

The door squeaked open and he didn't bother looking up to see what Otis was going to do this time. He flinched as a cold bottle of water was brought to his chapped lips. He sipped the water desperately once again. Maybe it was poisoned and that would be his fate. He hoped so. Otis eventually ripped the bottle away from his mouth and tossed it behind him. The water splattered all over the floor and Reid wished he had gotten more.

"Do you think your BAU friends will find you? I've been giving them daily updates on you." Otis asked in amusement.

Spencer didn't reply. He hadn't the energy nor the will to reply. He didn't care if Otis got angry and beat him senseless or electrocuted him until something on the inside busted open. He didn't care. He just wanted to die at this point.

Otis laughed menacingly. The man stepped back to examine his body. He was pretty proud of himself for inflicting all of this without killing him. Reid was his first victim without his brother and he wasn't sure if he was doing it right. But, Spencer was alive, so he figured he must have been doing it correctly. His eyes found his groin and he cringed.

"You should really cover-up." He said, disgust wiping all over his face.

Reid's heart dropped to the empty pit of his stomach. He felt exposed, not just to Otis, but everybody. It made him feel overwhelmingly nauseous. When he got the urge to throw up, he wasn't sure if it was his disgust or the infection that was making him sick.

Otis tore off a piece of brown silky fabric. He lined a corner up with Reid's boney, protruding hip bone. He reached to the cart beside him and grabbed a thick needle and thread. Reid didn't bother thrashing in his restraints.

The needle went through the cloth and entered his skin. Reid's trembling cries only motivated him more. He sewed one corner of the cloth to his hip and moved to the other side. When Otis was finished, the cloth was attached to his lower body and covered everything from the knees down. He smiled at his work. Blood streamed down his legs and dripped onto the floor. His hips were swollen and red and splattered blood all over his new cover-up. 

Otis stepped closer to him, looking him in the eyes. Spencer quickly looked away. He couldn't bear the sight of him any longer. Otis's brows pulled together when he realized the boy was dying much quicker than he thought. He rearranged the board so he lay on his back and grabbed a hack saw. 

"Otis, please don't," Reid begged, squeezing his eyes shut and attempting to sink into the board. His muscles tightened as he felt the cold blade touch his skin.

Otis moved the tool back and forth until the skin of his abdomen was cut open completely. A large amount of blood spewed out of his frail body and ran down his bruised sides. Reid cried. This was the end. He proceeded to carve a horizontal line below his chest and just above his crotch.

Otis cut an 'I' shape into his torso, watching him bleed so profusely. His skin paled significantly and his eyes fluttered open and closed. The man sighed, grabbing a needle from his cart and jabbing it into the crook of his neck. It was a drug to numb his body and keep him awake long enough to watch his organs be extracted from his own body. Reid's pupils shrunk and his eyes widened. He stared at the blood continuously flowing out of his body. There was nothing but warm crimson liquid, yet he felt cold.

"You know, I really thought you would last longer."


	5. Bone Chilling

Aaron Hotchner's phone buzzed loudly in his pocket and he quickly answered it.

"Sir, the Jordan brothers have two storage buildings in their names that were passed down to them from their parents. It looks like one is going to be taken down soon." Garcia informed.

Hotch nodded, "Thank you, Garcia. Call SWAT and let them know to hurry to those locations, we're on our way."

"On it, sir." 

He hung up his phone, jogging to the SUV. Morgan followed, frantically climbing into the passenger's seat.

"Garcia found two buildings in their name. Call JJ and let her know that Garcia sent her two addresses and that she's visiting the first." Hotch sternly ordered a hint of dismay laced in his deep voice.

Morgan obeyed, and soon, the team was rushing down the roads, sirens blaring and followed by a few police cars. Their hearts pounded and adrenaline coursed through their veins. They only hoped to find Reid, and find him alive. They couldn't bare another lead to be put to dust once again. For the sake of the unit and Spencer Reid, they needed to find him at one of the buildings.

Derek and Aaron arrived at the building, police cars surrounding their SUV. SWAT got into position and Morgan stood in front of the door, waiting for Hotch's signal. Eventually, the unit chief sent him a nod. Derek kicked the door down with one forceful move and entered the building with his gun drawn. They stormed through each room, careful to not miss a single square inch of this place. 

"Hotch!" Morgan called out as they regrouped, "He's not here."

It was like a stab to the heart. He was nowhere to be found, nor was there evidence that he was there. 

Rossi parked the SUV at the front of the building. He and the two women scrambled out of the car, accompanied by two officers and a SWAT team. Everybody quickly got into position, preparing themselves for anything. After making sure everybody was ready, Prentiss forcefully kicked the door down and entered. 

"FBI!" She screamed, her voice echoing through the building.

It was a seemingly normal and empty building. Rossi ordered them to split up, and they did so. Prentiss and JJ stuck together while Rossi went with an officer and everybody else put themselves in pairs. JJ and Prentiss carefully, yet quickly entered a room whose door was cracked open. Before them stood their unsub, sharpening a large knife. On a large tray beside him lay many different tools, such as a hack saw, butcher knives of all sizes, needles, and scissors. The sight made them sick.

"Drop the weapon and put your hand behind your back!" Prentiss ordered.

The BAU ladies kept their angry eyes on him, ready to put a bullet between his eyes. However, Otis obeyed and Prentiss cuffed him. JJ reached for her phone, speed dialing Rossi, who answered immediately.

"We've got him." She told him before hanging up.

All they had to do now was find Reid.

"Where is Spencer?" JJ asked angrily, grabbing his shoulders forcefully, demanding that he answer.

"You'll find him alive. I cauterized his cut with heat, he screamed so loudly, I smiled. I wanted him to be awake to see the harvest, and I was going to pry the walls of his stomach open with the cuts and burns that I've already made," He hummed, a smile spreading across his face.

Prentiss and JJ exchanged disgusted expressions before Emily handed the criminal to an officer.

Rossi could hear whimpers in the distance. He and the officer he paired up with had gone separate ways, and he was alone in a dark empty hallway. He slowly tip-toed through before entering the room containing the cries. In all his years of being in the field, he's never seen anything like it. The bones, blood, the scent of urine, and burnt flesh. However, he only took a few split-seconds to examine the brutal room before finding a pair of pale feet. He rushed to the body, finding Reid laying on his back, restrained against a board. His eyes were closed and his skin was ashen. For a second, Rossi thought he was dead, but the rise and fall of his boney chest reassured him.

"Get me a paramedic!" Rossi screamed, causing Reid to flinch.

His entire body had been through torture. There were bruises or blood nearly everywhere, but the sight on his torso was horrendous, even to Rossi who's seen practically everything. An I shape had been cut into his skin and then burnt over, seemingly stopping the spewing blood that had presented itself all over the board and his sides. A third-degree burn on his chest caught his eye and he gritted his teeth. 

The damaged boy's eyes flickered up to see his friend. He was quickly being removed from the restraints. How was this possible, though? His heart was beating, yet he was sure he was dead. There was no hope. He was supposed to die. But, there Rossi was, saving him.

He couldn't feel his lower body, the drug had numbed him from below his chest down. Perhaps that was a good thing. He stared at Rossi as if he was a deer in the headlights. His mind couldn't register what was going on.

"We're getting you out of here, kid," Rossi promised, holding him in his lap on the floor.

Reid only responded with a slow, tearful blink. His body shook and he sobbed loudly. He was soon put on a gurney and transferred outside and into an ambulance. He watched as it drove away, loud sirens blaring into the air. He took his phone from his pocket and went to call Hotch, but called Morgan instead.

"Anything?" The man answered quickly.

"We've got him. He's being taken to the Northern Virginia Medical Center. We'll see you there." He replied.

Just as he was about to hang up, Morgan's voice spoke on the other line.

"How is he?"

Dave exhaled sharply, closing his eyes. The gruesome image appeared in his head before he replied, "He was beaten pretty badly. There was..." Rossi had to pause, feeling a lump form in his throat. "There was a sheet sewn to the kid's hips and there were burns everywhere on his stomach. It's best you didn't see."

"Hotch and I are on our way now." With that, the other line went dead.

Rossi ran his hand over his aching head before JJ retrieved him to head to the hospital. The older man felt faint and had to take a seat in the back instead of driving. Prentiss took his role.

"How did he look?" Emily asked, taking a glance at Rossi from the rearview mirror.

Rossi only shook his head, feeling nauseous.

"I think I'm going to be sick." He said in a nasally voice.

Prentiss quickly pulled the car off of the road. Rossi fell out of the vehicle and onto his hands and knees. Pieces of gravel stuck to his skin as he regurgitated all over the platform. Tears stung his eyes and his face turned red. He wiped his mouth before climbing back in. JJ turned around, brows pulled together. Though, Rossi assured he was fine.

From Rossi's judgment, he didn't think Spencer would make it. So much trauma to the body. It would be a miracle if he didn't die on the table. He shook his head, erasing those thoughts from his mind. He needed to have hope.

Hotch and Morgan beat them to the hospital. The men rushed inside and to the front desk.

"Have you gotten any word on Spencer Reid?" Hotch asked, nervous, sweaty hands gripping the edge of the desk.

"He's in surgery. The doctor will retrieve you afterward." The receptionist politely replied and motioned towards the waiting room chairs, "Please make yourself comfortable."

The waiting room was fairly empty, besides a singular man sleeping in the corner. Both of them were nervous. Morgan had informed Hotch on Rossi's sickening description and it sent chills through the man's bones. 

"If anything happens to Reid," Hotch started and began stuttering. "I-I I don't know."

Morgan sadly sighed. The front doors burst open and in came JJ, Rossi, and Prentiss.

"Have you called Garcia?" Emily asked, taking a seat across from them.

"Yep." Morgan nodded.

"How's Reid?" JJ stared at her fingers. If she were to look them in the face and find tears, she would burst into uncontrollable sobs.

"In surgery." Hotch dryly replied.

His gaze darted to Rossi, who rested his face in the palms of his hands. He could tell he wasn't crying but in distress and lots of it. Reasonably, too. He's the one who found Reid's body, while JJ and Prentiss only got a glimpse of everything above a blanket. The Italian couldn't get the image out of his head, no matter how hard he tried to focus on anything else. It left an imprint on his brain and if Spencer would die on the operation table, he was sure that image would last for as long as he continued to live.

A few hours passed, though it felt like an eternity for the BAU team. Garcia showed up shortly after Rossi and his group did, frantic and upset, though she was extremely grateful he was found. She and Morgan hugged for very long, neither wanting to remove themselves from each other's grip but Garcia's feet began to ache in her heels so she released him and took a seat. 

"I brought him a few books from his desk. I hope it'll lift his spirits when he wakes up." She said, her voice not containing her usual cheerful charms. She tried, but everybody could tell she was down.

Eventually, a surgeon walked into the room. She was beginning to take off her bloody gloves and her scrubs were messy. 

"Family of Spencer Reid?" She asked them.

"Basically, yeah." Morgan was the first to stand, followed by the rest of the team.

"We just finished the surgery. He needed lots of blood, as he had lost a dangerous amount. All of you should be very proud of yourselves for finding him just in time." She spoke with a sympathetic smile. 

"How is he?" Hotch asked.

"Spencer had third-degree burns on his chest and thigh, so we needed to cut away the dead skin cells and take skin grafts from his shoulders to treat the areas. We were able to close the deep wounds on his stomach up and cut away the burnt cells from his abdomen as well. Thankfully, the burns were a mixture of second and first degree." The surgeon began fiddling with her fingers, "He has a minor concussion and minor orbital fracture. When he wakes up and you find that half of his left sclera is red, that is why, so don't be alarmed."

The team listened in horror as she listed off so many brutal injuries. They weren't sure how to take such information.

"He has four broken ribs, though, those will heal on their own, and quickly with proper care. We removed the cloth that had been attached to his hips and closed the holes that were left. He has a few infections, but we're treating them with antibiotics and they should go away in a week. All in all, I saw that he makes a full recovery in a few months."

"Can we see him?" Garcia's eyes lit up with hope, but quickly dimmed when she shook her head.

"Though he'll be moved to recovery a few hours and I'll let you know then that you can come. Any other questions?" Her brown brows raised, eyes darting between the adults.

"I'd like to speak in private." Hotch declared, beginning to walk into the halls.

The surgeon nodded, following closely behind. Aaron began to suffer from a stressful headache, but he needed to ask the questions. On Otis Jordan's record's, it had been shown he was a rapist. Hotch knew that the surgeon was holding back on information, out of respect for her patient's dignity.

"Were there any signs of sexual assault?" He asked, keeping his voice just above a whisper.

Her face fell and she cleared her throat, "There were many first degree burns and small cuts and bruises to the genitals. There were also signs of rape."

Hotch closed his eyes for a second, pinching the bridge of his nose. He kept his emotions bottled up for the most part, but he couldn't hide how angry and disgusted he was.

"Sir, I need you to make sure someone is watching him throughout his recovery. Please don't leave him alone. He's been through so much and I wish nothing but the best for his recovery, physically and mentally." She urged, her eyes glossing with worry.

Aaron nodded, thanking her for her work before joining the group.

"What was that about?" JJ asked. She spoke relieved now that Reid was confirmed to survive.

Hotch hesitated, but finally responded with, "I asked what she recommends for us to get Reid through this." He lied.

He couldn't bring himself to tell them. Kidnapping and torture were one thing, but sexual assault was another and Hotch knew that. He didn't want to take away every last bit of privacy that Reid had, even if they were bound to find out eventually. Even if he decided to tell them, he couldn't bring himself to utter the words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for the kudos and comments! i appreciate them so much.


	6. Nightmare

Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep...

"JJ, he's waking up," The dulcet voice belonging to Penelope Garcia whispered softly, hoping not to scare him.

Spencer's eyes twitched, cracking open just enough to acknowledge the bright lighting and blurry white ceiling. He shut them again, his face distorting as he became conscious of the pain. A groan left his lips and he heard a gasp. The events over the past few days began flooding back to him. His breathing became unsteady; short and quick. The consistent beeping that pierced his ears happened more frequently. He felt his limbs shaking in fear.

The burnings, beatings, electrocution- oh, the electrocution! He could've sworn electricity was coursing through his body at that very moment. 

"Reid!" 

His apprehensive eyes shot open, pupils shrank in fear. The first face he saw was Penelope. Her eyebrows were pulled together in worry and her makeup was smeared all over her face. He could tell she had been crying. Her presence calmed him a bit, his mind realized he was no longer with Otis. Though his hands still shook and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. His gaze darted around the room and he found JJ, standing in the corner and chewing nervously on her index finger. A small, comforting smile grew on her lips when she saw his eyes.

"You're awake." She said happily, walking to his side and brushing her fingers lightly over his shaking knuckle. 

Reid turned to the I.V screen and then watched as antibiotics dripped from the medical bag hanging off the pole. He shook his head, attempting to speak but his words refused to be voiced. 

"You're safe, Spence." JJ reminded him, keeping her voice low and calm.

"Do you want me to get the rest of the team?" Garcia asked him, but Reid didn't know what to say.

He wasn't focusing on their words. His mind was elsewhere, in that awful room, retrained to a board. He remembered Otis' eyes and how they were different colors. He was taken back to the event in which he was nearly dead, and Otis had cut the flesh on his torso open only to burn over them and cauterize the bleeding. He described how he was going to use his bare hands to rip the walls of his stomach open and cut out each one of his organs, and that he was going to watch. The descriptions were awful, something he would never forget, but one stood out. Otis described his urge to rip out his intestines and tie them to a hook on the wall while they were still attached. Then, he was going to take Reid out of the restraints and make him cut it off with a pair of safety scissors. The recollection caused him to shut his eyes once again and feel sick. 

"Spence, what's going on?" JJ's voice was no longer soft, but now pure concern. 

Reid didn't reply. He was attempting to process what had just happened but he couldn't. Was he dreaming? Was this just a sick dream? He couldn't put the pieces together, no matter how many times he tried. He was confused and wondered if the memories he was recalling were even real. The wounds were present, but he still found it hard to believe any of that happened. Still, he was terrified. 

Garcia's eyes brimmed with water as she watched hot tears flow down the side of his bruised face. His eyes were closed and he was seemingly unaware that he was no longer in danger. It hurt her to see him in so much pain, physical and mental. 

Meanwhile, JJ had walked out of the room to retrieve and talk to the rest of the team who stood just outside his door.

She was immediately hit with different variations of, "How is he?" by the team.

JJ frowned and sighed, "Not very good. He woke up and immediately started panicking. He wouldn't talk to us. He was shaking and wouldn't open his eyes. He just started to cry." She ran a hand through her blonde hair, "It's painful to even watch."

"So, you don't recommend that we go in to see him just yet?" Rossi asked.

He was dying to see the kid. He needed that reassurance that he was, in fact, alive. He needed to see it with his own eyes. After finding him in that room, he wanted nothing more than to see him and see that he was okay.

JJ shook her head and shrugged, "I don't know how to get him calm. He is very shaken up."

"Give him some time. He's probably processing what just happened." Hotch stated arms crossed over his chest.

"Trying to, at least," Rossi added.

"Let us know immediately when something happens," Morgan demanded and JJ nodded.

"Of course." She began to walk back into his room, but Emily reached out and grabbed her forearm.

"Are you alright?" She asked sincerely.

JJ was visibly tired, not to mention upset. Every time she was seen there were tears in her eyes, yet she wouldn't let them fall. She had to be strong for Reid. Though she couldn't deny the fact that she was emotionally exhausted, but she refused to leave Spence's side. She had been continuously texting Will, checking up on her family, because she didn't plan on leaving anytime soon. JJ had been terrified throughout Reid's entire disappearance. She usually doesn't let cases get to her head, but this was different and far more sickening and worrying than the event with Hankle. 

As much as she wanted to fall to her knees and cry right there and then, she flashed a smile and nodded. Emily could tell she wasn't, but she let the young woman go. Prentiss had done a better job of masking her fear throughout the case. She had cried alone here and there, but she was there to reassure Morgan and JJ whenever they needed it. She was constantly attempting to clear her mind and have hope. When Reid had been found, it was like twenty pounds were lifted off her shoulders and she could finally breathe. 

As JJ entered the room, she saw Garcia in a comfy chair right at his bedside, running her fingers through his dirty locks of hair. He had fallen asleep, no longer shaking and crying, and his heart rate had gone down to a normal pace. JJ took a seat in the other chair, checking her phone. Will had sent her a text, stating that Henry had drawn Spencer a picture and wanted to come see him. She replied, 'Not just yet.' JJ didn't want to overwhelm him. Once she was sure he was getting better, she would take Henry to come to see him. She was sure he would like that when the time was right.

Spencer began mumbling in his sleep, words such as, "You electrocuted me," and, "Otis, please stop." His voice was incredibly hoarse and dry. It was almost unrecognizable to the women. His brows furrowed in his sleep and he began thrashing around in his sleep. Garcia worked quickly, holding his arms down so he wouldn't hurt himself. His jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth and he struggled beneath her grip.

"Spence, wake up!" JJ exclaimed, rushing to his side.

He didn't wake, instead began screaming loudly and crying in his sleep. Garcia began weeping as well, unsure of what to do but she continued to hold him down. JJ rushed out of the room, seeing the team startled. She left the door open in her frantic state, and they could see Spencer beneath Garcia, shaking, crying, and screaming.

"What is going on?" Morgan ran into the room with Garcia and JJ began rushing down the halls.

"He's having a bad nightmare, I need to find the doctor to see if she can get him to wake up!" She yelled before disappearing over the corner.

"Reid! Reid, listen to me!" Morgan begged loudly, "Wake up, please! Kid!"

Spencer's screams turned into whimpers. Garcia loosened her grip on his arms as he had stopped thrashing around. His breathing slowed and his crying had stopped.

"Burn." He mumbled in his sleep.

Then, his panicked breathing and crying started back up again and he slipped an arm out of Garcia's hand, grabbing onto Morgan's bicep tightly. Derek winced as his fingernails dug into his skin, squeezing so tightly as if to suppress his pain. He let out a loud sob, scrunching his face up and arching his back. Garcia stepped back onto the floor, trying to remove his arm from Morgan's but his grip was far too strong.

JJ rushed back into the room with his doctor, Dr. Goodman. She was horrified at the sight and rushed around the room to grab a mask. She put it over his nose and seconds later, his eyes opened widely. The grip on Morgan's arm was released, though his panicked state didn't fade. His terrified eyes met Morgan's and the older man swore he lost a piece of his heart when he stared into his soul.

"What happened, kid, are you alright?" Morgan asked calmly, moving his hand to wrap it around Spencer's much smaller one.

Reid didn't reply, continuing to stare into Morgan's eyes. He seemed confused. His bottom lip trembled and pitchy whimpers sounded. He inhaled several times, trying to muster the strength and energy to finally talk.

"Am I dead?" He asked quietly and dryly.

This struck the heart of everyone in the room and the rest of the team observing the event outside. Morgan shook his head quickly, brows stitching together.

"No, no. We got to you, Reid. You're in the hospital and you're going to be fine, I promise." He reassured, placing another hand on top of his boney one.

Spencer's eyes ripped away from his and turned to JJ and Garcia, and then to Rossi, Prentiss, and Hotch standing in the hallway. He raised the hand not occupied by Morgan and pointed towards Rossi. He didn't say anything, attempted to speak with his actions. Rossi walked in, kneeling down beside him.

"What's wrong, Spencer?" He asked.

Reid stared at him for a moment before muttering, "Y-y-you found me." 

Rossi nodded, "I did. We saved you."

He closed his eyes, tears slipping out. His mouth pulled into a sad frown and he seemed to begin shaking again, just not as vigorously.

"Thank you." He couldn't speak any louder than a hushed whisper.

The room fell silent. Reid stared at the ceiling before slipping into a sleep once again. Prentiss turned to Hotch, and she swore she's never seen him more concerned. She nudged him, grabbing his attention.

"We've got to be there for him throughout his recovery," Hotch said quietly to her.

She nodded, "I know. And if he needs a place to stay, my apartment is available. I'm sure he doesn't want to return to his."

Hotch nodded as well. He stuffed his hands in his pocket and stared at his shoes.

"He's been through a lot. I wouldn't doubt it if he wanted to resign." He continued.

Prentiss pursed her lips together, feeling hot tears form in her eyes. The team without Reid wasn't ideal. She would never want to work without him, but she understood. Trauma was not something that went away. Over time, one gets used to it. She didn't think Spencer would ever heal from his traumatic scars, not in a long time. If he wanted to leave his job, she would support him.

"He's strong." She stated.

Hotch agreed, "I know. Everybody has their limits, though. We need to prepare for anything."


	7. Broken

The next day faded in. Spencer cracked his bloodshot eyes open, feeling a hand wrapped firmly around his. Once his hazy vision cleared, he saw Morgan's resting face. His eyes quickly traveled down the length of his arms to find that he was the one holding his hand and keeping it warm. For a reason he didn't know, he began crying. He hadn't been touched in a way that wasn't painful in days. 

His trembling breaths woke Morgan up and he immediately grew concerned.

"Hey, kid, hey, look at me." He softly spoke, gently bringing his fingers beneath his chin and turning his head so his eyes met his. 

"I'm sorry," He rasped, bringing a hand to his face and wiping his tears away.

"No, don't apologize," Morgan said, lightly rubbing his thumb over his bruised cheek. He was surprised, yet thankful, to see Spencer leaning into his touch and not creeping away. It was reassuring in a way, knowing that Reid had still trusted and cared for them, despite what happened to him over the course of a few days. Seeing him the first day was agonizing. How he didn't speak in full sentences and only acted out in a fearful fit. But, slowly and surely, he began to speak just a bit more.

He let the smaller man cry in silence for a few moments, wiping his tears away when needed. When he had calmed down a bit and soaked into his pillow, Morgan decided to see just how willing Reid was to talk about it. He wanted to give it a chance, at least. Talking about his emotions just might make him feel better.

"What are you thinking, Kid?" He asked.

Spencer shrugged, sharply inhaling a shaky breath of fresh air. His voice broke as he attempted to conceal his emotions, "I thought I was going to die."

His words were something Morgan had to take a while to process, leaving the room silent except for the consistent beeps of the heart monitor. Spencer was never good with emotions. He wasn't sure how to process emotional situations or react in a 'normal' way. He hadn't a sympathetic bone in his body, nor has he ever come to terms with the fact that it's okay to be sad.

"I thought I was going to die alone and scared." He continued, fresh tears falling down his cheeks, which Morgan quickly wiped away.

"You're safe now, Reid. Nothing will ever happen to you again."

Spence shook his head, "How can you be so sure?"

"As long as I'm alive, nothing will ever happen to you," Morgan promised sincerely.

Spencer decided it was best not to argue and nodded to show he understood. Though he still felt as if he was in danger. He still looked at the door as it creaked open as if somebody was going to get him. He couldn't shake the fact that he was so unexpectedly taken - twice. The statistics couldn't come into his mind, but he knew he was a high-risk factor and the chances of him not ever getting kidnapped again were not great.

"Where are the others?" He asked, leaning into the pillow and staring at the bright ceiling.

"Hotch ordered that everyone get some rest," Morgan replied. "I decided to stay in case you woke up."

Reid nodded slowly, staring at the white blanket that was slumped over his body and everything from his chest down. He wasn't sure where to rest his arms. His torso was in pain, his shoulder felt raw every time he moved. He was uncomfortable no matter the position. Eventually, his eyes shifted from the blanket to Morgan, wincing at the slight pain in his left eye that showed up during the sudden movement.

"No narcotics, right?" He could only bring his voice to a whisper.

Derek nodded, "No narcotics." He was extremely proud of Reid's sobriety and it made him happy to see just how proud he was of himself.

Soon enough, Reid had drifted off to sleep. When he woke up, JJ and Rossi were in his room instead of Morgan. JJ had held his hand gently and Rossi sat in a comfortable chair in the corner of the room, smiling as he slowly opened his eyes. The bright light above him caused him to squint and bring a hand to his aching forehead.

"Where's Morgan?" He asked groggily.

"Hotch wanted him to get some actual sleep," JJ replied a sympathetic smile spread across her face. "Are you alright?"

Spencer nodded, closing his eyes once again. His entire body was in pain. Not only that, he hated hospitals. He wanted to be somewhere comfortable with a good book and not a care in the world. Though, he couldn't bring himself to step anywhere near his apartment. The horrifying memory crossed his mind.

_Standing in his small kitchen, Spencer Reid leaned on his elbows against the counter, reading a book. Without looking up from the page, he reached up in his cabinet to grab a plate for the leftovers he was about to eat for dinner. He was surprised to be home from work so early, but thankful nonetheless._

_'Three more pages and I'll put the book down,' He thought to himself._

_However, his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a loud bang coming from outside the door. Then, it went silent. He concluded he was just hearing things. He hears gunshots frequently, so perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks. But then, the door was forced open, and in came a man wearing a mask, hurdling towards him. Reid yelped, dropping the plate and book on the floor. The man was sprinting to him, he had to act fast. He decided his best bet was running out of the door and alerting his nearest neighbor's, but realized they weren't home. Still, he needed to get out of there._

_Just his luck, the man caught him and he was punched hard, blood quickly leaking from his nose. It spread on the floor as he fell to the carpet. The man grabbed his ankles, attempting to drag him away. Reid was able to grab the edge of his bookcase, holding on for his dear life. However, it toppled over, hitting him on his neck and giving the man the ability to drag him out and knock him out._

Snapping back to reality, his breath was hitched and fast, eyes wide and tears dripping off his chin. JJ and Rossi had scurried to his side, asking if he was okay over and over, but got no response. He was thankful, yet surprised that his nose and neck wasn't broken, but in the end, it didn't matter. He would still be in just as much pain, physically and emotionally.

After a few moments, he was able to calm down enough to take control of his body and look at JJ and Rossi. His hands were shaking, but they were hidden beneath the blanket so they were unable to see his fear becoming physical. He gave a slow shaky nod to reassure them that he was alright, even if he wasn't. He felt as if the progress he had been making with Morgan had all went away. Reid couldn't bring himself to speak, not even utter a simple 'yes' or 'no'.

JJ stroked his hair as Rossi spoke softly to him.

"You're going to be just fine, Kid."

Spencer swallowed harshly, screwing his eyes shut and nodding his head. He wanted to ask when he could leave if he could stay with something, anything, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. A light knock on the door made his eyes shoot open. Hotch stood in the doorframe, his usual stone-cold expression wiped across his face to hide his concern.

"JJ, I need to speak with you." He stated.

JJ gave Reid a small smile before standing from her chair and exiting the room. She followed Hotch through the hall until they reached the end. Everybody else was there - Garcia, Morgan, and Emily. They had grouped together, JJ assumed they were going to discuss Spence's condition.

"I need you all to know that Reid is going to be fine. I've arranged for him to stay with Rossi - which he already knows." Hotch informed, glancing between his team in front of him.

"We can constantly visit, right?" Garcia asked, raising her brows.

Hotch nodded, "I'm sure Rossi will be fine with that."

"Has the doctor mentioned when he'll be released from the hospital?" Emily wrapped a comforting arm around JJ, which the blonde repeated back to her.

"She said that once his infections die down a bit, he can leave. Probably a few days." 

"That's good. Reid hates hospitals." JJ nodded, a small smile forming on her face.

Meanwhile, Spencer had stared blankly at the bright ceiling. Rossi frowned. He stared at his practically emotionless face. His skin was covered in bruises and his left eye was nothing but blood. Knowing what he went through was sickening - even worse to find him in such a horrible state. Rossi physically felt his heart shatter at the sight, and still, it ached. Eventually, Reid noticed his stared and turned his head a bit to stare back.

"You can get out of here in a couple of days, kid," Rossi stated, placing a gentle hand on his pale arm. It was practically the only bit of exposed skin that wasn't layered in black and blue marks.

Spencer couldn't yet bring himself to verbally respond, but Dave was fine with the fact that he could actually hold eye-contact and nod.

"You're going to be staying with me for a little bit. I have a few rooms you can choose from. I'll have Garcia spoof it up to make it feel like home, alright?" Rossi put forth a weak smile and Reid nodded once again.

They sat in silence for a bit before Spencer unexpectedly spoke.

"I have to go to the bathroom." He rasped.

Rossi nodded, "Alright."

Luckily, he wasn't completely bed-ridden. His I.V pole had wheels and the doctor had given him the okay to get up and walk - but only if need be and not too often. Spencer slowly swung his legs out, gritting his teeth at the discomfort that spread throughout his burnt body parts - his burn wounds felt raw and stiff. Dave grabbed his shaky hands, helping him onto his feet. His knees wobbled and he gasped as a pain shot up into his back. Reid continued to nod, reassuring Rossi that he was okay.

He took small steps into the single-person bathroom, holding onto Rossi's hand and arm as the Italian rolled his I.V along with them. Rossi let him go once he leaned against the wall, letting him know to call him if he needs anything. Once the door shut, he stepped towards the mirror and for the first time since his abduction, he saw just how broken he appeared.

His eyes were normally accompanied by dark bags, but they were worse than he's ever seen. His left eye was swollen and bruises, half of the white part of his eyeball a crimson red. The smooth skin on his face was dirtied with green and blue marks, spreading out onto his neck and collarbone. His jaw-length hair was greasy and tousled and he desperately wished to shower.

His hands gripped the end of his gown. Spencer hesitated at first, but slowly lifted his clothing over his head, being extra careful to slip it over the I.V so it didn't rip the needle out of his arm. 

The young agent had worked with victims and awful crime scenes since he was twenty-two, and nothing in his line of work could ever compare to the sheer horror on his torso. Large bruises ran down his sides, due to his broken ribs. First and second-degree burns ran up and down his abdomen, but the most nauseating sight was the huge amount of stitches that sewed his skin together, shaping an "I". Otis's obsession with removing his organs would leave a lasting imprint on him. 

He turned from the mirror and looked down at his lanky body. Spencer moved the waistband of his boxers just a bit to take a peek at the stitches filling the holes in his hips. His eyes found themselves staring at the healing skin graft on his thigh and his mind briefly transitioned to the sexual assault he encountered. He found himself crying. There was a knock on the door, but he ignored it.

He leaned against the sink, letting tears splash onto the drain. The broken boy wished he had been killed instead.


	8. Not Linear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas, enjoy this gorey chapter as a gift.

“Reid!” Rossi exclaimed from outside the door, “Open up, please!”

Spencer found himself on the floor, limbs lying limply beside him. He couldn’t get up if he wanted to due to the immense amount of pain. He simply sat there, staring at the wall, and for the first time since he was born, he wasn’t thinking about anything. His mind went blank during it’s period in which it tried to suppress the trauma. However, only a few minutes later he was snapped back into reality and the only thing he could think about was the torture he endured. He wasn’t sure how to process such an event.

The door creaked open and he swore he was back in that room. A nurse holding a key and Rossi entered the bathroom, which reminded him he had been rescued. Dave carefully and gently lifted his lanky figure off the ground and the nurse rolled the I.V pole behind them. He was placed back in bed, pulling the blanket up over his shoulders.

“What happened in there, honey?” The nurse asked.

Spencer didn’t reply. His face contorted with a mixture of guilt and sadness for a second before he was left expressionless with tearful eyes, staring at the white blanket.

“You mind if I put some bandages around you?” She followed up.

Rossi had suspected he was inspecting his injuries and suggested they put more effort into covering them. Spencer nodded lightly. As Rossi went to leave the room, to his surprise, Reid called out for him.

He cleared his throat, taking slow and shaky pauses between his trembling words, “Can you, uhm, stay? Please? I don’t want to be left alone again.”

David nodded, heading back over to the man he considered a son or nephew. He held his hands gently, staring into his brown eyes as the gown was untied from his back.

“Please don’t look.” He begged.

  
“I won’t, I promise,” Rossi said sincerely, Reid could see that in his eyes.

Spencer’s brows pulled together as he felt the uncomfortable bandaging wrap around his torso. He squeezed his eyes shut. He remembered all those pains far too well. Rossi gave his knuckles a reassuring brush with his thumbs.

He felt his gown being tied back on and the nurse directed him to lie on his back. Immediately, he pulled the blanket up over him. Rossi figured it was because he still felt exposed. It made his heart drop. 

The doctors told them he would spend lots of time sleeping. After days of endless torture, his mind and body were tired. Despite the frequent nightmares, that’s just what Spencer did for the next few days. His infections cleared for the most part and were now treatable with pills, so he was discharged early in the morning.

JJ, Rossi, and Emily were the ones to take him to Rossi’s, while Garcia, Morgan, and Hotch collected his things from his apartment.

The car ride back was completely silent. Spencer stared out of the window, watching as other cars and houses went by in a blur. He was unconsciously rubbing his aching torso as if it would take the pain away. Reid was glad he was in Morgan’s baggy clothing rather than the hospital gown.

“Welcome to Casa de Rossi.” The Italian quipped, getting out of the car.

Emily offered Spencer assistance as he got out of his seat. Taking a step was painful as one thigh rubbed against the other burned one, healing from a skin graft. Still, he was motivated to make it inside with just himself and Emily’s arm. He didn’t want to feel useless as well.

Rossi unlocked the door and stepped inside. The other three weren’t far behind him. 

“Do you want anything to eat?” JJ asked and he sheepishly nodded as Emily helped him onto the couch.

The blonde walked towards the kitchen, looking through the cabinets as if it were her own house. She returned with a stack of crackers, handing them to him before walking away once again to prepare the sink to wash his hair.

Emily joined him on the couch, “How are you feeling?”

  
  
He shrugged, nibbling at his cracker. She chewed on her inner cheek, nodding. She had cried over his condition countless times already by herself and in front of Hotch. It would be a lot different if she didn’t know him, but she did. Spencer was sweet, awkward, smart as hell and you couldn’t pay him a million dollars to get him to shut up - all the things she and the rest of the team loves about him. To know what he went through is a brutal stab to the chest, puncturing their hearts a million times. Nobody deserves this, Spencer sure doesn’t. Emily swore if she could trade places with him, she would.

Unexpectedly, he turned to stare at her. His bottom lip quivered as if he wanted to say something, but nothing would come out. 

  
  
“Take your time,” She said softly, almost bringing a hand out to touch him but she wasn’t sure how he would react.

He sucked in as much air as he could possibly get in his lungs without his ribs burning, “I missed you.” His face scrunched up for a split second, but he wouldn’t let himself cry. An escaped tear ran down his cheek, “A lot.”

“I missed you, too.” Emily felt herself getting choked up as well, “I’m so sorry, Spencer.” She placed her hand hesitantly on his, but he didn’t shrink away.

“Spence,” JJ called out gently from the hall. “Do you want me to wash your hair now?”

He nodded and Emily helped him off the couch, leaving his crackers on the end table. They took slow baby steps until Emily handed him off to JJ. Walking into the kitchen, there was a chair from the dining table perched directly in front of the sink. Shampoo sat on the counter and JJ assured that the water was the perfect temperature. She definitely didn’t want to make it too hot considering he was recovering from severe burns.

Reid sat in the chair. JJ gently directed his head back slightly so she didn’t make a mess. She read his expression to make sure he was okay. She turned the water on and ran it along his scalp. He actually looked relaxed. All the tension he held before went away as the calm, warm water cleansed his hair. It felt nice.

The door opened and in came Morgan, Garcia, and Hotch, carrying bags with Reid’s items. Rossi met them and they set his belongings on the end table next to his crackers.

“How’s the kid holding up?” Morgan asked.

They all gathered on the couch.

“He said he missed us, a lot, but I don’t think he’s really up to talking yet,” Emily replied.

“It’s normal to see that,” Hotch said.

“He’s getting his hair washed now, I think it might help him feel better,” Rossi added.

“Would it be possible if I could stay the night?” Garcia asked, folding her hands in her lap. 

“You’re all welcome to stay if you’d like.” Dave grinned for a moment.

“But only if Reid is okay with that. Victims of trauma tend to stick to one person after the event. We don’t want to overwhelm him, especially since he doesn’t like being babied.” Hotch protested and they nodded in agreement.

“Right, we all want what’s best for him,” Morgan followed.

Shortly, JJ and Spencer joined everybody else in the living room. His wet hair was tousled and messy and smelled of mint. Still, he felt dirty. JJ promised she would run him a bath tonight when his bandages are cleaned, but he wasn’t sure a bath would help his feeling.

“Hey,” Garcia was the first to greet him with a gentle smile.

He raised his hand a bit to wave and immediately dropped it to his side. Reid sat next to Morgan on the couch, fiddling with the hem of the baggy shirt he wore.

“We got your stuff, kid. You can pick out a room and Penelope and I will make it yours.” Morgan told him.

“Did you get my books?” He asked. Morgan noticed his regular voice was coming back to him.

“We got every book that could fit.” Derek reached forward and grabbed the bag containing his books, opening it slightly to show it to him.

Reid wanted to say thank you, but it wouldn’t come out, so he nodded.

“Reid, we want to make sure that you’re okay with all of us staying with you for a while. If you don’t want all of us here, you can tell us. It won’t hurt our feelings.” Aaron explained.

Spencer examined the room with all the familiar faces he grew to love. They were all his family, the people he felt most comfortable with. He nodded without hesitation, “Stay.”

“Do you want a tour now? We can prepare your room so you can take a nap.” Rossi suggested with a smile.

Reid nodded, standing to his feet with Morgan’s help. The lanky boy held onto the Italian as they made their way around the mansion. He told them where all the bathrooms and bedrooms were and Spencer immediately memorized a map of the house.

Eventually, Spencer settled with the bedroom closest to a bathroom. Morgan and Penelope immediately set it up as he slowly drifted to sleep in the bed - which was by far much comfier than the hospital bed. They set books up on the nightstand, hung his clothes in the closet, and set his shoes by the door. 

**\----------**

_ “I really thought you were going to last much longer-” Otis’ voice echoed within his brain.  _

_ Spencer tried to move, but he was retrained. Looking down, he saw his entire abdominal wall split open, revealing the organs inside. He opened his mouth to scream but nothing would come out. He was helpless. _

_ “Reid!” A bubbly voice exclaimed, “Spencer, wake up!” _

_   
_ _   
_ His honey-brown eyes opened finally, finding Penelope’s worried face in front of him, Morgan beside him gripping onto his arm. His gaze darted around the room, heart pounding against his chest. Eventually, he read the alarm clock, ‘8:00 pm’, and slowed his breathing.

“Are you alright?” Morgan asked though he wasn’t expecting a reply.

Just as they thought, he kept his mouth shut. JJ walked into the room, hesitantly approaching him. Tear tracks ran down his cheeks and he was clearly distraught.

“Would you like to get a bath now?” The blonde asked, figuring it would help him relax.

He agreed and Penelope and Derek excused themselves from the room.

“Are you sure you want me to help you?” JJ helped him to his feet.

“Just don’t look.” He muttered.

“I won’t. I have to change your bandages, though, Spence.”

  
  
Her words seem to make him tense up, so she released her grip on him slightly.

“Unless you want someone else to change your bandages.” She added.

“Can Rossi do it?” 

“Of course. Do you want him to help you get in the bath, too?”

  
  
Spencer nodded. JJ walked out of the bedroom and into the living room where the rest of her team sat, watching TV with the volume turned down low.

“Spence wants you to help with his bath, Rossi,” JJ said, taking a seat next to Emily. 

“Me?” Rossi furrowed a confused brow.

“You’re the first person he saw when he was rescued, I’m assuming he trusts you to see him like that,” Emily explained.

Hotch nodded, “It’s likely.”

  
  
Dave nodded and headed to Spencer’s new bedroom. Opening the door, he found him sitting on the edge of the bed, staring into his lap.

“Want me to help with your bath, kiddo?” The older man asked.

Reid nodded, “If that’s okay.” He muttered.

“I don’t mind.” His calloused hands wrapped around Reid’s as he helped him to his feet.

They headed outside the bedroom and into the bathroom. 

“It has to be a certain temperature,” Spencer whispered. “If it’s too hot or too cold it could be irritating.”

Rossi did his best to fill the decent-sized bathtub with lukewarm water, being very cautious of the temperature. Spencer let out a sad whine behind him and he turned around to find him standing there awkwardly.

“What’s up?”

  
  
Reid tried to keep himself from crying, but he let out an isolated sob before tears rolled down his cheeks, “It hurts.” 

“It’s okay, Spencer.” Rossi stood up, “Can you lift your arms?”

  
  
“No, it hurts.” He repeated, voice muffled by his cries.

“It’s okay, it’ll be fine,” Dave reassured, quickly wiping off the tears from his bruised cheeks. “Can I help you?”

  
  
Reid gave him a quick nod and Rossi stood behind him, lifting the back of his shirt over his head without making him lift his arms. The baggy shirt slid down the length of his arms and onto the floor.

“We’re gonna have to take your bandages off.” 

  
  
To his surprise, Spencer began unraveling the gauze himself until his burns, stitches, and bruises were completely exposed. It still took Rossi a moment to analyze the visual before him. There was so much trauma inflicted, he’d never seen it before on a living, breathing person.

He turned off the water once the bath was filled up enough. 

“I’ll give you some privacy, if you need help getting in just call me. If you need absolutely anything, call me, kiddo. I’m leaving the door cracked, is that alright?” Rossi asked as he set a clean towel on the floor for him.

“Thank you,” He murmured, nodding his head.

Dave walked out of the bathroom, leaving the door open just a bit. Just as he walked back into the living room, Reid hoarsely called out his name. The Italian rushed back in finding Reid on the floor with his pants still on. He was crying once again, face red with frustration.

“I can’t do it!” He exclaimed. It was the loudest he’s heard him talk since his rescue.

“Can’t do what?” Rossi helped him off of the floor.

“This!” 

  
  
“What happened?” He was beginning to panic a bit.

“My skin feels so raw.” He cried, “If I bend over it feels like I’m going to split open! I can’t even take off my clothes!” His voice broke at the end of his sentence.

“The doctor said that feeling will be going away in a week or so. I know you’re sore, but you’re going to get through this. I’ll help you every step of the way, Spencer.” Rossi promised.

Again, Spencer looked for the genuine spark in his eyes and found it. It calmed him down a bit but didn’t take away the lump in his throat or stop his tears from falling down his face. Rossi helped him undress and get into the bath. Spencer immediately relaxed as the water touched his skin, but when it got to his injuries it burnt a little. He ground his teeth together as the pain lingered.

“What’s wrong?” Rossi asked, who was cleaning up his dirty clothes and putting them in a pile in the corner.

“It stings so bad.” He choked out.

Dave frowned. He’d already been through enough and even though his torture was over he was still suffering.

“It’s a sign that your injuries are being cleaned. You don’t have to stay in there long if you don’t want to.” 

“Can I call you when I’m done?”

  
  
“Of course. I’ll bring clean clothes, too.” 

  
  
With that, Rossi left once again, leaving the door opened the same way as the first time. He approached the living room and sat on the couch, turning off the TV so that no sounds drowned out Spencer’s call.

“How is he?” Penelope asked worriedly.

“He’s just in a lot of pain. He did talk a whole lot in there.” Rossi replied, “He just needs time.”

  
  
“It’s good he started talking more,” JJ stated with a weak smile.

“Healing isn’t linear, we have to expect good and bad days,” Hotch said. 

  
  
The room fell silent until Penelope uttered another question.

“Do you think he’ll resign?”

  
  
“Well, he’ll definitely be taking a long break, that’s for sure,” Morgan answered.

“I know I would resign,” Emily said and JJ agreed.

Hotch nodded, “Strauss is giving all of us some time off to help him heal. It all depends on how he reacts, I assume.”

“I’m gonna go check on the kid.” It’s only been a few minutes but Rossi didn’t want to have a repeat of the bathroom incident in the hospital.

The door was still cracked and he pushed it open. Spencer was wide-eyed and frozen, staring at the bloody water he sat in.

“Spencer!” Rossi shouted, pulling him out of the bath and wrapping a towel around him. 

  
  
Immediately, he noticed fresh blood was dripping down his legs and onto the floor. Rossi examined each and every wound on his body until finding the resource - one of the stitches on his hip busted.

“No! No!” Spencer exclaimed, “Not again!” 

“How did this happen?” Rossi asked, brows pulling together as he wadded up toilet paper to press against his wound.

Spencer was too choked up to reply, so he stood there, shaking and crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE ROSSI AND REID'S FRIENDSHIP, I THINK IT'S SO UNDERRATED. So I was debating whether to make Rossi, Morgan, or JJ his attachment, but I figured it should be Rossi since he was the first one he saw when he was rescued, it makes sense I think.


End file.
